At My HR Professionals, we understand as an employer you have thousands of options with whom to outsource your business. We also understand that there are some great companies out there that have great services to offer. Below is a guide to help assist in evaluating the options you have in when exploring which outsourcing firm to use.

What does your Customer Service look like when I need more than just software?

Having a partner company that is there when it matters the most is important. Here are some factors to consider when judging the effectiveness of customer service:

Knowledgeable Staff – We have 50+ full time employees, each trained in different areas, and able to help in different ways. Whether that be a compliance issue with a government agency, a benefits issue/question, time and attendance system problem, retirement plan questions, safety and risk questions, and/or payroll questions, each department is on call to assist. Let’s say you have an EEOC investigator at your work place. Wouldn’t you want someone to come on site and provide support? My HR Professionals is there for you when it matters most.

What policies are in place for mistakes? – At My HR Professionals, we assume liability for mistakes and errors caused by our staff.

What online options do you offer?

At My HR Professionals, we offer an all-inclusive administrative dashboard for all things payroll, HR, and Benefits. We have even added an employee portal to help relieve employer administration tasks and enable employees to update personal data (tax deduction changes, reprint w-2’s and check stubs, change personal information such as mailing address).

We also offer a time and attendance system that can help streamline your payroll process, give you the reporting you need, and help track time theft, vacations, and scheduling.

What additional services do you offer, outside of the normal payroll?

At My HR Professionals, we have options ranging from PEO to ASO, meaning you can join us in a full-service plan including coming onto our workers comp policy, or simply elect only to use the payroll service.

We also have different departments, as mentioned above, that can help in all things HR, Benefits, Safety and Risk, and Retirement al la carte.

What Additional benefits are there to being a client of yours?

At My HR Professionals, we offer a multiple employer plan(MEP) 401k. This means that you can offer a retirement plan with nominal fees, and we handle the fiduciary duties. As part of an MEP you see the benefit of a large group including the lower fees.

We also offer a supplemental group health plan, that way you can offer all the supplemental benefits (vision, dental, short and long-term disability, and even pet insurance) at fantastic rates. As an employer you get to choose if premiums are strictly employee paid or if you want to contribute.

What can I expect as accuracy with my back-office duties, when handing them to you?

References are important. At My HR Professionals, we service many industries. There is a good chance that we already serve a business similar to yours! Most of our clients are more than willing to share their experiences, and we would love for you to talk with them.

The biggest tip I could offer regarding the reference call is to have a list ready and ask the questions you feel are most crucial. Getting the important questions answered up front makes for meaningful conversation and ensures that your needs are met.

]]>https://myhrprofessionals.com/2018/10/30/outsourcing-questionaire/feed/0Advantages of small to medium size businesses outsourcing Payroll.https://myhrprofessionals.com/2018/09/26/4804/
https://myhrprofessionals.com/2018/09/26/4804/#respondWed, 26 Sep 2018 18:15:42 +0000https://myhrprofessionals.com/?p=4804Continue reading Advantages of small to medium size businesses outsourcing Payroll.→]]>The first question I advise clients to ask themselves is, why did you go into business in the first place? While I’ve received a number of various answers, none have ever said they did so to handle payroll or compliance issues. That is the first sign that outsourcing may be a good fit.

When comparing the cost of outsourcing payroll to those of a full-time minimum wage employee, you should be able to see the cost savings immediately. In addition to seeing those cost savings, off-loading the liability and every day time consuming task of payroll, allows business owners and managers to redirect their time and energy to revenue generating aspects of their business.

As a company grows, it can also see an increase in error-making opportunities. By utilizing a professional payroll staff, you can continue to grow and handle various classifications of workers, while keeping the guess work out of being compliant with ever-changing government regulations.

When trying to decide what outsourcing solution best fits your needs, keep in mind a few questions.

Does the company just supply the software platform only, or is there professional staff to support your payroll specific needs when they arise?

Can the outsourcing company scale with your company as you grow? What are some things they can assist with as you grow? i.e. HR support, Benefits Administration, Safety & Risk Management, Time & Attendance System.

Are the costs straight forward, or are there hidden costs for additional reports, garnishments, or issuing w-2’s?

Are there any add on packages that would benefit your company at little to no additional cost? e. Supplemental Benefits, or retirement options such as a Multiple Employer Plan 401k

Lastly, keep in mind that most companies will do a discover meeting and demo on their software. Giving you more information on how their systems and procedures work, as well as give you a pricing guide that is built specifically to your needs.

]]>https://myhrprofessionals.com/2018/09/26/4804/feed/0PEO and ASO: What Are They and Are They Right For You?https://myhrprofessionals.com/2017/06/01/peo-and-aso-what-are-they-and-are-they-right-for-you/
https://myhrprofessionals.com/2017/06/01/peo-and-aso-what-are-they-and-are-they-right-for-you/#respondThu, 01 Jun 2017 17:38:35 +0000https://myhrprofessionals.com/?p=1256Continue reading PEO and ASO: What Are They and Are They Right For You?→]]>What is a PEO?

According to Wikipedia the definition of a PEO is aprofessional employer organization(PEO) and is a firm that provides a service under which an employer canoutsourceemployee management tasks, such as employee benefits, payroll and workers’ compensation, recruiting, risk/safety management, and training and development.

There are a lot of options out there when it comes to partnering with a PEO, however, not all are the same and provide the same level of service. Although we strongly support the PEO model because we offer it, we encourage potential clients of PEO’s to look at cost comparison, opportunity costs, track record of service, and most importantly hidden costs. Most PEO’s have them.

When Partnering with a PEO something to keep in mind is that although you will be off loading a lot of administrative weight that allows you to work ON your business instead of IN it, you will lose some flexibility and control. To most, the trade off is worth it.

This leads me to the ASO Model. As defined by Wikipedia as anadministrative services organization(ASO) that provides outsourced solutions to meet the administrative and HR needs of the client, with the client retaining all employment-related risks and liabilities.

The main difference between the two is, very simply put, flexibility.

The ASO model has the ability to offer the same service offerings but gives you the freedom to pick and choose what services you want and need verses having to go all in with the PEO. You also have more flexibility and more control with the ASO.

SPMI My HR Professionals offer both models and are eager to serve you in whatever way fits your company best.

Many small business owners struggle to find enough time to manage the day-to-day demands of running a business – and delivering value for your customers is likely why you created you business in the first place, so it should be a top priority.

Yet many small businesses don’t survive more than five years because of insufficient cash flow and customer demand. Often, your markets are unpredictable, the economy changes and your competitors innovate and fight for your market share.

To stay on top, you need a solid strategy. Good business strategy is about providing superior, hard-to-copy customer value. It’s about influencing the future, not reacting to it. You may not spend much time on strategic business thinking right now because it detracts from the day-to-day, but it may be exactly what you need to keep your business healthy over the long term.

Further, strategic thinking isn’t trivial and rarely offers immediate rewards. It forces you to go beyond your comfort zone and make decisions about your long-term competitiveness. As an entrepreneur, you have the ability to move quickly and change course, but your strategy must recognize likely weaknesses of limited resources and less-developed branding.

Luckily, there are many tools to help guide your strategic business planning.

1. PESTLE

Your business doesn’t operate in isolation. In this analysis, write down on a sheet of paper 6 headings: Political, Economic, Social,Technical,Legal andEnvironmental.

Under each category, list all the factors that affect – or have the potential to affect – your business. For instance, a “political” factor with implications for your business may be a new funding policy related to your clients. An example of a “technical” factor would be the emergence of a new technology that reduces your operating costs.

To use this tool to help develop your business strategy, your starting point should be selecting and prioritizing a handful of factors according to their current or future impact on your business, along with your ability to respond to them.

2. Why Analysis

All businesses have problems. The successful ones recognize the causes, and prioritize the solutions strategically. You can use this approach to solve your, and some of your customer’s problems.

“Why analysis” takes a single problem and identifies the root causes. You can question each answer produced by your analysis up to five times to determine core problems. Then, you can prioritize the core problems according to impact and remedy. This simple example illustrates the reasoning:

Problem:Slowing Sales

Why are sales slowing?Because of a lack of quality sales staff.

Why is the quality of sales staff lacking?Because of inadequate training.

Why in the training inadequate?Because the sales manager is overworked.

Why is the sales manager overworked?Because there are too many customer issues outstanding.

Why are there too many issues outstanding?Because there is no after-sales process.

In reality there will be multiple problems and causes. Solving a few key root causes will have greatest strategic impact.

3. Strategy Canvas

The Strategy Canvasasks you to identify the main factors in your current product or service offering that create customer value. For instance, a plumbing business may include price, time to respond, residential service and environment technology as factors. For each factor rate your product or service from 0 to 10. Now, do the same for key competitors or substitutes (such as DIY) and use the same factors.

Your customer value strategy is about changing and redefining your offerings strategically. Start the process by eliminating or reducing some of the factors to reduce costs. You can improve some factors and add new ones to create better customer value. The Strategy Canvas requires a lot of thinking time, collaboration and research, but the results can really set your firm apart.

Others to Tools to Consider

The previous are just a selection of strategy tools you can use in your business. You may want to look at other tools such as SWOT Analysis, Porter’s 5 Forces, the Business Case, the Osterwalder Business Model Canvas, the GE Business Screen and the Balanced Scorecard.

Turning Analysis into Action

Good strategy describes what you are going to do, and when and how you’re going to do it, along with the expected costs, efforts and rewards. As a business owner with limited resources, your strategy must recognize your ability to implement and fit with your values.

By setting aside a few hours of strategic planning time every month, you may be making the best possible investment you’ve made in your business yet.

The Department of Laborfiled a motion for an expedited briefingof its appeal of a federal judge’s decision to put the brakes on the federal overtime rule, but that shouldn’t affect what companies do at this point.

A federal judge in Texas put the brakes on the Department of Labor’s new federal overtime rule on Nov. 22, which would have doubled the Fair Labor Standard Act’s (FLSA’s) salary threshold for exemption from overtime pay.

The judge’s preliminary injunction effectively halts the implementation of the new rule, which was scheduled to take effect on Dec. 1, 2016.Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans plan for the House of Representatives to adjourn early for the year so they can buy time—until President-elect Donald Trump takes office—to try to override the new overtime regulations.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published monumental changes to the overtime rule that will make approximately 4.2 million currently exempt employees eligible for overtime pay later this year.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime rule determines whether employees are eligible or exempt for overtime pay.Exempt employees, because of their rate of pay and type of work that they do, are not eligible for overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Nonexempt employeesmust be paid time and a half for any hours worked more than 40 in a workweek.

Before the Nov. 22 preliminary injunction, all employers had to comply with the changes made to the overtime regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act by Dec. 1, 2016. That deadline has been put on hold while a federal judge reviews the case.

What Is The New FLSA Overtime Rule?

The rule extends overtime protections to4.2 millionworkers who are not currently eligible under federal law.

Workers who do not earn at least $47,476 a year ($913 a week)will have to be paid overtime, even if they’re classified as a manager or professional.

The Department of Labor will increase the salary thresholdevery three years.Based on current projections, the salary threshold is expected to rise to more than $51,000 with its first update on January 1, 2020.

Employers must comply with the new regulations byDecember 1, 2016(NOTE:This has been delayed as a federal judge reviews the rule).

Congressional Republicans plan for the House of Representatives to adjourn early for the year so they can buy time—until President-elect Donald Trump takes office—to try to override the new overtime regulations.

Exempt vs Non-exempt Employees
Most workers are classified as either exempt or non-exempt depending on their salary and the type of work they do. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that in addition to paying at least the minimum wage employers also must pay overtime to employees who work more than 40 hours in a given workweek, unless they meet certain exceptions. To complicate matters further, many states have wage and hour laws that may have more requirements than the FLSA. Employers must make sure they abide by both federal and state wage and hours laws to avoid legal trouble.
In addition to regular non-exempt employees and exempt employees, there are several other classifications of workers. It’s important to make sure that those workers actually meet the requirements for those classifications in the FLSA and your state’s wage and hour laws. Other classifications include volunteers, trainees, interns, independent contractors, and temporary employees.

Definition of non-exempt employee
Most employees are entitled to overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act. They are called non-exempt employees. Employers must pay them one-and-a-half times their regular rate of pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. The biggest problem most employers have with nonexempt employees is miscalculating how much overtime workers are owed.

Definition of exempt employee
The Fair Labor Standards Act contains dozens of exemptions under which specific categories of employers and employees are exempted from overtime requirements. The most common exemptions are the white-collar exemptions for administrative, executive, and professional employees, computer professionals, and outside sales employees. There is a also a lesser known exemption for certain retail or service organizations. The primary advantages of classifying employees as exempt are that you don’t have to track their hours or pay them overtime, no matter how many hours they work.
Obviously, this is an appealing scenario for employers. However, exemptions from the overtime requirements of the FLSA are just that — exceptions to the rule. They are very narrowly construed, and as the employer, you will always bear the burden of proving that you have correctly classified an employee as exempt.
HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 topics, including overtime.
New overtime regulations effective December 1, 2016
The Department of Labor (DOL) has released final overtime regulations, effective December 1, 2016, that increase the salary threshold for exemption from $455 per week to $913 per week. On an annual basis, this is a salary increase from $23,660 to $47,476 per year. The DOL will automatically update the standard salary and compensation levels every three years going forward. The DOL has set the total annual compensation for exempt highly compensated employees at $134,004, up from $100,000. Employers will be able to count nondiscretionary bonuses, incentive payments, and commissions towards as much as 10 percent of the salary threshold beginning December 1, 2016. In order to count, these payments must be made on a quarterly or more frequent basis.
Other issues to consider
Comp time. Although there are exceptions, it’s usually illegal to give non-exempt employees comp time (time off) instead of paying them overtime.
Child labor. Federal and state laws include special provisions to protect workers younger than 18. These laws can affect the type of work, wages, and hours that an employee can work.
Breaks. Employers need to make sure they follow federal and state law requirements regarding breaks, including meal breaks, for workers.
State-by-state comparison of 50 employment laws in all 50 states, including wage and hour laws, child labor, and breaks
Wage and hour law enforcement
The provisions of the FLSA are interpreted and enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor which investigates complaints and sometimes sues when it find violations. Many states also have agencies that enforce state labor laws and investigate complaints.

SPMI My HR Professionals can help manage this change, provide solutions through a Time and attendance system to help automate processes.

https://myhrprofessionals.com/hr-support-services/

Kyle Morris

kylem@spmihr.com

]]>https://myhrprofessionals.com/2016/09/26/effective-december-1st-2016/feed/0Do You Really Still Get What You Pay For?https://myhrprofessionals.com/2016/06/06/do-you-really-still-get-what-you-pay-for/
https://myhrprofessionals.com/2016/06/06/do-you-really-still-get-what-you-pay-for/#respondMon, 06 Jun 2016 15:51:39 +0000https://myhrprofessionals.com/?p=1098Continue reading Do You Really Still Get What You Pay For?→]]>Jul 31, 2014 by Curt Finch In Finance 5160 Shares|
We’re all familiar with the phrase “you get what you pay for.” It’s such a common statement that it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact origin. It’s likely that, as a business owner, you’ve used this exact phrase when discussing the value your business provides to potential clients or to your colleagues.

But how often do we think about this phrase when it comes to our dealings with other businesses?

Of course, when it comes down to it, it’s all about that bottom line. But it’s also important not to let thinking about our bottom line render us short-sighted. That concern for our bottom line is what can make someone “cheap-out” when it comes to other businesses and service providers – even though they’d never want to receive that same treatment themselves.

The Cheaper Way is Not Always The Best Way
An example that comes to mind is the popularity of outsourcing, popularized by sites like Elance, oDesk, Guru and Fiverr. These sites let people post a listing for services they need provided (everything from basic data entry to writing and editing to coding an app) and receive bids from providers around the world.

Because of the global nature of these marketplaces, they’re often referred to as a “race to the bottom” by service providers – there’s always someone willing to do what you can do, except for less money. And to a business owner, that lower cost can look like a great deal.

Despite appearances, it’s not always necessarily the best route, even if it costs less up front. You’re still going to pay a “time fee”. Discussing a project with someone whose English skills aren’t as good as yours can make it difficult to move things along in a timely manner. Back-and-forth emailing can get muddled once a language barrier is thrown into the mix. It’s likely that by the time communications have been resolved and the project is done, you’ve paid at least 2-3x what you would have if you’d gone with a more expensive but more experienced service provider.

And that cost doesn’t factor in the time that you’ve spent making sure the project runs smoothly – which can add up to several hours. As an example, if you bill your time at more than $5/hr, that adds up to a considerable expense. Often times, many business owners have come to the end of a frustrating project and wished they’d gone with the higher-priced service or business.

The phrase “you get what you pay for” works more than one way. By putting your hard-earned dollars towards something, you’re supporting it and creating the demand for more of it. So, if you use your business’s profits to outsource instead of keeping it local, you’re setting up the demand for more of that same sort of work – which can have long-lasting side effects on a larger economic scale.

Give us a look at https://myhrprofessionals.com/

You will be glad you did, we have over 500 companies around the US that would agree.

The Call for a Special Session to begin on May 19 was issued yesterday and it did include a workers’ compensation issue.

The State Chamber/AIA Executive Committee met this morning and voted unanimously to continue our long-standing position, which is claims should be stopped going into the Death and Permanent Total Disability Trust Fund and should only be done with a provision to mitigate the cost increases to employers. The Committee does not see this issue so urgent that it needs to be considered in this or any Special Session.

All employers in Arkansas with more than three employers will be impacted by this issue.

We’ve heard from some self-insured employers that have already estimated their future annual claim cost increases. They reported cost increases ranging from $150,000 to $1 million. The cost of these significant claims continues annually for years. Insured employers can expect a 3 to 4.6 percent increase in workers’ compensation insurance premiums.

We encourage all employers to consider the impact on their business if their business incurs a death or permanent total disability claim.

Self-insured companies would become responsible for the entire cost of these claims instead of the first $204,000

Insured companies should consider the impact of a workers’ comp premium tax increase.

We encourage all employers to speak with your State Senator and State Representative about the cost increase risk to your business and why this issue is being considered in such a rush with little opportunity to consider the cost impact on employers.

The available draft bill would do only one thing, stop new death and permanent total disability claims from being paid for by the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s Death and Permanent Total Disability Trust Fund. It provides no mitigation for the cost increases to employers.

Stopping new claims to the Fund is needed because it’s underfunded, but the Fund has enough resources to pay existing claims for about 10 years. So there is time to look for a way to mitigate the cost increase impact on employers.

Here are some talking points that should also be addressed in meetings with legislators.

• The Trust Fund is funded entirely by a 3 percent premium tax that is paid by insured companies and self-insured companies.
o The Insurance Department provides rating information to the self-insured companies, who then calculate what their premium costs would be if insured and then they remit 3 percent of that amount to the Workers’ Comp Commission, which has authority to review the estimated premium amount
o This is Special Revenue NOT General Revenue to the state
• Stopping new claims will NOT reduce the premium tax
o Employers would continue paying premium taxes until all of the claims are paid off or there is a clear projection that the Fund would have enough money to pay all of its claims even if the tax revenue is stopped
• Claim payments will continue for about 20 years or more after new claims are stopped
• The Fund has enough resources to continue paying claims for about 10 years
• There is time to seek a solution to the Fund without rushing it through a special session with no consideration of cost increases to employers
o The Fund currently has enough assets to make claim payments until about 2030 (with continued revenue and new claims stopped)

This is a brief outline of the issue we shared with legislators over the past weekend:

Fund Responsibility
– Currently NO General Revenue dollars are used
– Employers understand they are solely responsible for Fund revenue
o Employers don’t want the Fund to go broke
 Solutions sought since 2007
• Ending fund is important but self-insured employers need help to mitigate claim cost shift
– Exposure to State would only arise in more than a decade IF:
o the Fund went broke and no solution was adopted through the Workers’ Compensation Commission with Employers
 Employers have always been committed to protecting the Fund’s financial responsibilities

Special Session Action is premature
– Solution needed to mitigate employers’ claim cost increases
– Savings to Fund by quick action are fractional compared to Fund finances
o Controversies over mitigation methods are most suited for a Regular Session

]]>https://myhrprofessionals.com/2016/05/17/daily-legislative-update-affecting-workers-comp/feed/0Employment Law Changes U.S. Employers Should Expect in 2016https://myhrprofessionals.com/2016/04/04/employment-law-changes-u-s-employers-should-expect-in-2016/
https://myhrprofessionals.com/2016/04/04/employment-law-changes-u-s-employers-should-expect-in-2016/#respondMon, 04 Apr 2016 15:49:09 +0000https://myhrprofessionals.com/?p=1076Continue reading Employment Law Changes U.S. Employers Should Expect in 2016→]]>“If you own or operate a business, it does not matter whether you have one employee or 100 employees— every business is required to operate in compliance with federal and state employment laws. Fewer employees may mean fewer federal or state laws that your business is required to comply with; however, you are not off the hook or in the clear when a Federal Agency (DOL, EEOC, IRS, NLRB, OSHA, USCIS) comes knocking at your door.”

Here are some that are major “Hot Buttons” and ones that federal agencies are really cracking down on.

# 1 FLSA WHITE COLLAR EXEMPTION REGULATIONS

DOL says final rule will be published in July 2016 and be effective within 60 days

Determine which employee salaries you can raise to retain exempt status and which you can’t based on your company’s labor budget.

Analyze how many hours exempt employees now work and what it would cost if their current salary is converted to an hourly figure and they continue to work the same number of hours.

Decide whether you will lower the hourly rate when you convert from exempt to hourly status so that total earnings remain the same.

Don’t forget to consider morale if you plan to slash that hourly rate.

# 2 NLRB Handbook rule changes

Independent Federal Agency vested with the power to safeguard employees’ rights to organize and to determine whether to have unions as their bargaining representative. Oversees compliance with the NLRA and acts to prevent and remedy unfair labor practices committed by Union and Non-Union employers

Rules Regarding

Confidentiality

Conduct toward the Company and Supervisors

Conduct towards Coworkers

Employee Interaction with Third Parties

Restricting Use of Company Logos, Copyrights, and Trademarks

Photography and Recording

Employees Leaving Work

Conflict -of-Interest Rules

# 3 E-Verify for federal contractors and subcontractors

E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to confirm employment eligibility

State specific legislation mandates the use of E-Verify for some or all Employers

# 4 Form I-9

Set to expire – 3/31/16

USCIS working on a new “Smart” I-9 Form

# 5 DOL Misclassification of Independent contractor

Employer improperly classifies a worker as an independent contractor when the worker should be classified as an employee, thereby allowing the employer to avoid the employment expenses associated with employees.

# 6 Medical Marijuana

Twenty-three States and the District of Columbia

Four states and DC have legalized for recreational use

# 7 Ban the Box

Ban the box refers to the check box on employment applications asking whether the candidate has ever been convicted of a crime. Ban-the-box laws require hiring managers to put off asking about a candidate’s criminal history until after an interview has been conducted or a provisional job offer has been extended.